Downey now set for step up to 400m?

Press, 28 March 1981, Page 22

Downey now set for step up to 400m?

By

ROD DEW

If the popular conception of a sprinter is a powerful, well-muscled figure in the mould of Olympic champions such as Hasely Crawford and Allan Wells, then one could be forgiven for passing Shane Downey in the street without recognising him. He is a slim, almost slight young man whose thoughtful expression sometimes leaves the impression that he is considering some weighty problem far removed from his immediate surroundings. However, appearances can be deceptive. Shane Downey is the fastest man in New Zealand, and he will almost certainly carry this country's sprinting hopes in the Brisbane Commonwealth Games next year.

The pleasantly-spoken Aucklander regained his “fastest man' distinction with two slashing runs in the finals of the 100 and 200 m at the New Zealand track and field championships at Hastings earlier this month. In the 100 m, he equalled his personal best time of 10.65 s with a. wind-assisted win over lan Ferguson, of Waikato, and the defending champion, Peter Hunt, of Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay.

Hunt made a supreme effort to snatch victory in the longer race, but at the finish Downey was half a stride ahead. His time of 21.44 s was almost a second faster than his winning performance the previous year at Auckland. “I am very relieved? he said afterwards. “I had a couple of weeks of hamstring trouble, and I wasn’t sure what would happen? In the 200 m, his run was a very smooth, even affair, and beautifully judged. But Downey did not see it quite that way. “I was feeling good until I reached the 80m mark and then I tied up. I cramped up a bit but I managed to keep going. I looked around at the finish and I couldn’t see anybody else, but I couldn’t be sure I had won?

If Downey was delighted at his success, his pleasure was shared by a group of Auckland schoolchildren who have a special interest in his fortunes. He is a teacher at Ponsonby Intermediate School and it is hardly surprising that the pupils have a special regard for the fastest teacher in New Zealand.

Downey, aged 24, came into athletics almost by accident only four years ago. He

played rugby for Eastern in the'third grade; his speciality even then was speed and he played on the wing. His coach at the time was impressed with his speed and suggested that he should do some track work to help develop his talent. In due course, Downey made his way to the home of the Auckland Athletic Club at the Auckland Domain and there he met Phil Temple, who was to become his coach and mentor. Downey, who has a particularly keen mind, quickly became convinced that his future lay in sprinting and he withdrew from rugby to concentrate all his efforts into sprinting. The benefits were not slow in coming. He ran on the track in competition just a short time before the New Zealand championships in 1977. Much to his surprise, he was selected for the Auckland team for the championships at Hamilton. He finished out of a place that year, but in 1978 at Wellington he provided the estab-

lished sprinters with food for thought by taking second place to Graeme French, of Waikato, in the 200 m final.

In the 1979 championships at Queen Elizabeth II Park in Christchurch, he finally established himself as the country’s top speedster, winning the 100 m final with a splendid run of 10.81 s and recording a winning time of 211.53 s in the 200 m final.

Surprisingly, he lost his 100 m title to’Hunt, a former Ashburton and Canterbury runner, then of Wellington, on his home track at Mount Smart in 1980. But he recovered later in the day 'for a fine win in the 200 m final.

Now he has both sprint titles again, and he is planning on winning both again in the important championship meeting at Queen Elizabeth II Park next year. The championships will be regarded as a final trial for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games, and Downey is determined to be at his peak. “I think I can go a bit quicker yet,‘ he says.

His best time for the longer sprint is 21.375, elec-tronically-timed. although he has an even faster handtimed performance of 21.25. He is satisfied that he can get close to the New Zealand resident record of 20.885, set by Wellington's former Olympic sprinter. Bevan Smith, seven years ago — provided he can get more, regular strong competition. However, his future as an international sprinter might prove to. be in the 400 m, a distance which should suit him well. He certainly intends to give 400 m running a trial over the next 12 months. So far he has only had an occasional run over the distance, for a best time of 48.95.

He has never trained for the full lap race, and his potential is completely untapped. “I am following the advice of people who know more about athletics than I do. They think that my -best opportunity for achieving international recognition is in the 400 m. But it is one thing to say this. It is quite another thing for me to get out and do it?

It might well be that Dow-

ney will concentrate on the 200-400 m double next; season with an eye to running these two events at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games. But there is a more immediate target — gaining a place in the Oceania team for the World Cup in Rome in September.

Up to six sprinters will be chosen from Australia and New Zealand for the team, so Downey has what he calls “a remote possibility l ' of selection. Others would see his chances as rather greater. He gained his first international experience overseas when he represented Oceania in the last World Cup event in Montreal two years ago. A strained groin prevented him running as well as he had hoped, but the experience he gained makes him a solid proposition for this year's world contest.

But whatever happens, Downey remains firm in his belief that track athletics holds a greater future for him than rugbj’’. “I sometimes get tempted to return to rugby, but I think I can go further on the track, rt he says. This is a point of view with which it would be difficult to argue.